Microelectronic element having trench capacitors with different capacitance values

ABSTRACT

A microelectronic element is provided having a major surface, the microelectronic element including a first capacitor formed on a sidewall of a first trench, the first trench being elongated in a downwardly extending direction from the major surface. The microelectronic element further includes a second capacitor formed on a sidewall of a second trench, the second trench being elongated in a downwardly extending direction from the major surface, wherein a top of the first capacitor is disposed at a first depth from the major surface, and a top of the second capacitor is disposed at a second depth from the major surface.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to microelectronic devices and processing,and more particularly to a microelectronic element and method forforming trench capacitors having different capacitance values on thesame microelectronic element.

As the speed and circuit density of integrated circuits (“ICs” or“chips”) is increased from one generation to the next, a greater needexists for capacitive elements that are located close to logic circuitsof a chip, or as parts of internal power supply circuits, for example.Thus, capacitive elements must often be provided on the same integratedcircuit as such logic circuits and power supply circuits. Trenchcapacitors are used for storing data bits in some types of dynamicrandom access memories (DRAMs) and embedded DRAM (eDRAM) macros of chipsthat contain other functional elements such as processors. In suchchips, the use of trench capacitors is favored for other purposes, e.g.,to support logic circuits, and as parts of internal power supplycircuits, because such other purpose trench capacitors can be formed atthe same time as the trench capacitors of the DRAM or eDRAM. When afairly large amount of capacitance is needed on a chip for such otherpurpose, a large number of trench capacitors are usually wired together,all having first plates held at a fixed potential such as ground andsecond plates wired together on which the potential is allowed to varyduring operation or remains at a constant potential during operation. Insuch circumstances, significant usable area of an integrated circuit isoccupied by an array of trench capacitors that are wired together ofsuch purpose. Accordingly, the size of such array of trench capacitorsis desirably made small, in order not to take up too much of the area ofthe integrated circuit.

One way of decreasing the size of such capacitor arrays is to enlargethe lateral, i.e. horizontal, dimensions of individual trench capacitorsof the array, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,191. For example,if the lateral dimension of the trench capacitor of a DRAM array is 90nm in one lateral direction, the lateral dimension of a trench capacitorused for the different purpose, e.g., to support logic circuits, couldbe 135 nm, for example. However, the etching of trenches to differentlateral dimensions is difficult. Reactive ion etching (RIE) of a hardmask layer and RIE of the underlying semiconductor substrate aredifficult to adequately control when trenches having such differentdimensions. In particular, the silicon profile control is difficult tomaintain during an etching process for simultaneously etching trencheshaving two different lateral dimensions.

It would be desirable to provide a process of forming trench capacitorsin which the lateral dimensions of the trench capacitors aresubstantially the same, such that the foregoing difficulties in etchingare avoided.

In addition to their use for particular purposes on DRAM and logicchips, and combined DRAM and logic chips, capacitive elements aresometimes provided as integrated elements of a passive microelectronicelement that contains only passive devices (e.g., capacitors, resistorsand/or inductors). Such passive microelectronic element is sometimesreferred to as an integrated passives on chip (“IPOC”) element. An IPOCis typically fabricated from a semiconductor, ceramic or glasssubstrate, having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that usuallymatches that of another integrated circuit. The IPOC typically containsa set of contacts on a surface to be bonded to some or all ofcorresponding contacts of an active chip that has active circuits, e.g.,containing elements that have a switching, amplification orrectification function such as transistors and diodes. In such way, theIPOC can be mounted at very close spacing to the other integratedcircuit, as through a ball grid array or land grid array, for example.Even in such IPOC, space may need to be conserved, and fabricationtechniques may need to be simplified and well-controlled, as it is on anactive chip. Accordingly, trench capacitors may be used in such IPOC, inwhich case, similar considerations apply to their use and fabrication.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A microelectronic element is provided having a major surface, themicroelectronic element including a first capacitor formed on a sidewallof a first trench, the first trench being elongated in a downwardlyextending direction from the major surface. The microelectronic elementfurther includes a second capacitor formed on a sidewall of a secondtrench, the second trench being elongated in a downwardly extendingdirection from the major surface, wherein a top of the first capacitoris disposed at a first depth from the major surface, and a top of thesecond capacitor is disposed at a second depth from the major surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 through 8 illustrate stages in a process of forming trenchcapacitors having different capacitance values according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an internal power supply generatorcircuit according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a delay circuit according to the priorart.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a delay circuit according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a feedback stabilized latch accordingto an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 through 8 illustrate stages in the fabrication of trenchcapacitors according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 1 and 2illustrate a process of patterning deep trenches 200, 205.Illustratively, in this process, the deep trenches are patterned in asemiconductor substrate 100, which typically consists essentially ofp-type doped silicon. Alternatively, the substrate has asemiconductor-on-insulator type structure, e.g., is asilicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. Other suitable alternative typesof substrates include germanium, silicon germanium, strained silicon,and those consisting essentially of one or more compound semiconductorshaving a composition defined by the formulaAl_(X1)Ga_(X2)In_(X3)As_(Y1)P_(Y2)N_(Y3)Sb_(Y4)where X1, X2, X3, Y1, Y2,Y3, and Y4 represent relative proportions, each greater than or equal tozero and X1+X2+X3+Y1+Y2+Y3+Y4=1 (1 being the total relative molequantity). Other suitable substrates have a compositionZn_(A1)Cd_(A2)Se_(B1)Te_(B2), where A1, A2, B1, and B2 are relativeproportions each greater than or equal to zero and A1+A2+B1+B2=1 (1being a total mole quantity). In still another embodiment, which will bedescribed later, the substrate consists essentially of any suitablepatternable dielectric such as ceramic, glass, etc.

In a first embodiment, trench capacitors are formed in a semiconductorsubstrate, preferably a substrate consisting essentially ofsingle-crystal silicon, or alternatively, a silicon-on-insulatorsubstrate. In this embodiment, the fabrication of trench capacitorsgenerally follows the processing of trench capacitors used as storagecapacitors of a DRAM array, except for steps which cause the trenchcapacitors to be disposed recessed to different depths from the surfaceof the substrate. In this way, at least some of the trench capacitorsformed by the herein-described method are usable as storage capacitorsof a DRAM array, while other trench capacitors are available for otheruses.

A variety of methods may be utilized to form deep trenches. Typically, amask layer is first formed and patterned on the substrate, the masklayer including a material that is less susceptible to etching, such ahard mask layer of silicon oxide and/or silicon nitride or othermaterial. FIG. 1 shows one embodiment in which an oxide layer 150functions as a hardmask layer, disposed overlying a pad stack 130 havinga nitride layer 120 and an optional oxide layer 110. The oxide layer 110is formed between the pad nitride layer 120 and the major surface 105 ofthe semiconductor substrate 100 as a buffer layer to improve theadhesion of the pad nitride layer 120 and to reduce the interfacestress.

FIG. 2 illustrates a subsequent stage of processing, after the hardmasklayer (FIG. 1) is patterned, and the underlying pad stack 130 and thesubstrate 100 have been etched to form a first and a second verticallyelongated trenches 200, 205 that extend downwardly from the majorsurface 105 to a bottom depth H0. Preferably, the bottom depth H0 of thetrenches 200, 205 is substantially uniform, except for process-relatedvariations that may occur across a chip or wafer into which the trenchesare etched. In semiconductor processing, such vertically elongatedtrenches are commonly referred to as “deep trenches.” Typically, a verylarge number of such deep trenches, e.g., millions or more suchtrenches, are etched simultaneously by this process. Therefore,reference to first and second trenches 200, 205 is illustrative of manytrenches to which the same processing is applied.

The remaining hardmask layer is stripped after etching the deeptrenches. The deep trenches are etched to very small lateral dimensions,e.g., critical dimensions, which are selected according to the currentgeneration of semiconductor devices. Preferably, all of the deeptrenches on a substrate are uniformly patterned to the same lateraldimensions. Such lateral dimensions include the width 260 of thetrenches in a first direction parallel to the major surface 105, and thewidth of the trench in a second direction into and out of the sheet (notvisible in FIG. 2), that direction also being parallel to the majorsurface 105. Trenches of DRAM chips are typically patterned to have anoval or oblong shape, as viewed from the major surface 105 of thesubstrate 100. For example, in one embodiment, the trenches arepatterned to have a small width 260 in a first lateral direction that isselected to be a value such as 90 nm, while a large width in a secondlateral direction of the trench is selected to be a larger value such as180 nm. Photolithographic imaging of very small or critical dimensionedphotoresist patterns and the subsequent etching of trenches into asubstrate are more easily and accurately controlled when all deeptrenches of a substrate 100 are patterned to have the same lateraldimensions.

The deep trench is typically etched to a depth ranging between about 2microns (μm) and 10 μm. Etching defines a first trench 200 having asidewall 210, and a bottom 215, and a second trench 205 having asidewall 220 and a bottom 225. Hereinafter, references to the trenchsidewall generally and to the lower portion of the trench sidewall shallbe understood to include the trench bottom as well.

FIG. 3 shows a further stage of processing in which a buried plate 300has been formed in a region of the semiconductor substrate 100 thatsurrounds the trenches 200, 205. The buried plate is typically a regionof n-type counterdoped semiconductor material formed in a semiconductorsubstrate that is predominantly doped p-type. The buried plate is formedby any suitable process such as gas phase doping and dopant outdiffusionduring a thermal drive-in process from a source of dopant material,e.g., a doped glass such as arsenic doped glass (ASG). For bothtrenches, the buried plate extends downwardly from a buried plate topdepth B. After the buried plate 300 is formed, a node dielectric 310 isformed on the sidewalls 210, 220 and bottoms 215 and 225 of the trenches200, 205, respectively. The node dielectric can be such as thattraditionally used in DRAMs, e.g., silicon nitride, silicon oxide and/orsilicon oxynitride or some combination thereof. Alternatively, a highdielectric constant node dielectric can be used. Thereafter, a materialis deposited to fill the trenches 350 as a node electrode material.Preferably, the node electrode material 350 is a heavily doped n-typepolysilicon. However, other conducting materials such as a metal or aconductive compound of a metal, e.g., a silicide, can be utilized underappropriate circumstances. In the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 3,the node electrode material consists essentially of heavily doped n-typepolysilicon. As shown in FIG. 3, the deposited polysilicon 350 has alsobeen planarized, such as by a process of chemical mechanical polishing(CMP), to a top surface of the pad stack 130.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4, the polysilicon 350 in the first andsecond trenches is recessed simultaneously to a first depth H1 from themajor surface 105 of the semiconductor substrate 100. The recessingprocess is performed by any suitable process which etches thepolysilicon 350 selectively to the material of the node dielectric 300.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5, the first trench 200 and areas of thepad stack 130 surrounding the trench 200 are masked, i.e., covered, by amask layer 500. At this time, the second trench 205 is not masked by themask layer 500. As discussed above, the first trench is representativeof many such trenches which are typically disposed together in one ormore locations of a chip. Accordingly, at this time, many trenchescorresponding to the first trench are masked by the mask layer 500.Preferably, the mask layer 500 is formed by photolithographicallypatterning a photoresist layer.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6, while mask layer 500 remains in place,the polysilicon in the second trench 205 is recessed a second time to asecond depth H2 from the major surface 105 of the semiconductorsubstrate 100 which is lower than the first depth H1. Stated anotherway, the second depth H2 is farther away from the major surface 105 ofthe semiconductor substrate 100 than is the first depth of recess H1 inthe first trench 200.

Thereafter, in a subsequent stage of processing shown in FIG. 7, themask layer is removed from the first trench 200, as by a wet stripprocess, such as is well-known. The depths of recess of the polysiliconnode electrode material 350 in both trenches 200, 205 is subject tobeing increased slightly as a result of the wet strip process, dependingupon the selectivity of the process. Such increases in the depths ofrecess during post-recess processes are intended to be encompassed bythe general terms H1 and H2, which are intended to be understood asrelative terms, rather than as absolutes. At this point, trenchcapacitors 700 and 710 have been formed in respective first and secondtrenches 200, 205. The trench capacitors have top surfaces 720 and 730that are disposed at different depths from the major surface 105.Specifically, trench capacitor 200 has a top surface 720 disposed at adepth H1 from the major surface 105, while trench capacitor 205 has atop surface 730 disposed at a depth H2 from the major surface 105. As aconsequence of their different depths from the major surface 105, andthat the trench capacitors 700, 710 are formed in trenches 200, 205having the same bottom depth H0 and the same lateral dimensions 260,etc., (FIG. 2), the trench capacitors 700 and 710 have substantiallydifferent capacitance values. It is apparent that under suchcircumstances, the capacitance of each trench capacitor is proportionalto its height, which is the same as H0–Hx. That is, for trench capacitor700, the capacitance value is proportional to the height 750, while thecapacitance value of trench capacitor 710 is proportional to the height760. Therefore, the capacitance value of trench capacitor 700 is twicethat of the trench capacitor 710 when the height 750 is twice that ofthe height 760.

As shown in FIG. 8, further processing is performed to form conductors800, 810 for interconnecting the trench capacitors 700, 710 to otherelements (not shown) disposed at or above the major surface 105 of thesubstrate 100. The conductors 800, 810 preferably consist essentially ofn+ doped polysilicon. The conductors 800, 810 are preferably formedafter first forming a relatively thick dielectric collar 850 overlyingsidewalls 210, 220 of each respective trench 200, 205. In oneembodiment, the collar 850 is formed overlying the node dielectric 310in each trench. Alternatively, the node dielectric 310 can be removedfrom the sidewalls 210, 220 of each trench prior to forming the collar850. Typically, the collar 850 is formed by depositing an oxide such assilicon dioxide. Here, the material of the collar desirably has a lowdielectric constant, especially when the trench capacitor 700 or 710 isused in a DRAM, in order to lessen parasitic capacitance between thematerial of the conductor 800 or 810 and the substrate 100 in thisparticular area.

Following the fabrication of the trench capacitors and conductors,further processing can be performed, if desired, to form transistorsand/or other circuit elements that interconnect to ones of the trenchcapacitors. For example, in a storage cell array of a DRAM, at least onepassgate transistor is connected to each trench capacitor of the storagecell array for controlling access to the trench capacitor, to store adata bit to the trench capacitor and to retrieve a stored data bittherefrom. Such passgate transistors can be planar devices, having achannel region which extends along the major surface of the substrate,or, alternatively, vertical transistors which have a channel regionwhich extends in an essentially downward vertical direction along asidewall of the trench. The processes for forming such passgatetransistors are well-known and need not be discussed further.

Thus, an embodiment of the invention has been described in which trenchcapacitors having substantially different capacitance values have beenformed by processing similar to that used to form trench capacitors of aDRAM array, without requiring trenches to be etched to different widthsor different depths, and allowing photolithographic imaging and etchingprocesses to be controlled according to traditional DRAM fabricationprocesses.

In another embodiment, the techniques of the present invention areapplied to the fabrication of capacitors of another type ofmicroelectronic element, a passive chip, such as an IPOC. An IPOCtypically supports the function of an active chip, e.g., one havingswitching, amplification and/or rectification functions. An IPOCtypically includes capacitors, inductors and/or resistors. IPOCs thatare mounted to the contact pads of an active integrated circuit chip,e.g, via a ball grid array, are typically fabricated on ceramic, glassor semiconductor substrates having a CTE the same as or close to that ofactive chip. Differences in processing of such passive chip or IPOC willnow be pointed out. As capacitors of the IPOC generally require highervalues than those on an active chip per se, the lateral dimensions forphotolithographically imaging and etching the trenches can be greatlyrelaxed. Thus, such capacitors on an IPOC can be patterned to lateraldimensions that are larger by one or more orders of magnitude than thelateral dimensions of trench capacitors on an active chip. In processingtrench capacitors on an IPOC having a semiconductor substrate, theburied plate 300 is eliminated in one embodiment, such that the path toground is provided through the substrate from the area adjacent to thenode dielectric 310. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the outerplate of the trench capacitor is provided by a conductive materialdeposited on the sidewalls of the trenches 210, 220 prior to formationof the node dielectric.

In one embodiment, the lower capacitance value trench capacitors 710 areutilized as trench capacitors of a DRAM array. The trench capacitors ofa DRAM array cannot have capacitance values which are too high becausethat would slow down their operation, causing the time for accessingeach storage cell to be excessive.

The higher capacitance value trench capacitors 700 are utilized forother purposes, e.g., for applications in which a large amount ofcapacitance is needed for functions provided on the chip. In oneembodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the larger value trench capacitors areused in an internal power supply generator circuit 900. Such circuit 900operates as a charge pump to boost an input supply voltage at one valueX to an output power supply voltage having a value 2.0 X, i.e., twicethe input voltage level. The circuit 900 has two stages 910 and 920. Thefirst stage produces an output supply voltage at 1.5 X, i.e., 1.5 timesthe input voltage level. The second stage boosts that voltage supplyfrom 1.5X to 2.0 X, i.e., twice the input voltage level.

Each of the first and second stages 910, 920 of the circuit includemultiple chains of inverters and multiple capacitor networks. Forexample, the first pump stage 910 includes inverter chains I11, I12 and. . . I16, each having a capacitor network, i.e., networks C11, C12 and. . . C16. In one embodiment, capacitor networks of the first stage havevalues of 100 pF each. The second pump stage 920 includes inverterchains I21, I22 and . . . I24, each having a capacitor network, i.e.,networks C21, C22 and . . . C24. In such embodiment, capacitor networksof the second stage have values of 35 pF each. The large capacitancevalues of such capacitor networks require that a great number of trenchcapacitors be used. Such large numbers of trench capacitors take upundesirably large amounts of the area of a chip or macro of which a DRAMis a part. For example, the power supply generator circuit 900 may beprovided to support an embedded DRAM macro of a multi-function chip suchas an SOC. In this example, a trench capacitor of a DRAM macro has avalue of 40 fF for the current generation. If the 100 pF capacitornetworks C11 C16 of the first stage 910 are implemented by the samevalue (40 fF) trench capacitors as those used in the DRAM array of themacro, then 15,000 such trench capacitors are needed for each suchcapacitor network. In the second stage, when the 35 pF capacitornetworks C21 C24 are implemented by the same value (40 fF) trenchcapacitors, 3500 such trench capacitors are needed for each capacitornetwork. An estimate of the area required to implement all of suchcapacitor networks in both the first and second stages is 120 μx 700 μm.In 0.12 μm technology, such area is approximately 10% of the area of a 4MB embedded DRAM macro.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the higher capacitancevalue trench capacitors described herein are advantageously used inplace of the trench capacitors that are typically used as storagecapacitors of a DRAM. Thus, when the higher capacitance value trenchcapacitors have a value of 80 fF, which is double the capacitance valueof the trench capacitors (40 fF) provided as DRAM storage capacitors,the area occupied by each capacitor network C11, C12, etc., and C21,C22, etc., is halved. Ultimately, the reduction in the size of eachcapacitor network reduces the size of the DRAM macro by 5%.

FIG. 10 illustrates another application in which capacitors are utilizedin an internal circuit 1000 of a chip having an input and output toother circuits of the chip. The circuit shown in FIG. 10 and the typesof capacitors utilized therein are prior art. Specifically, the internalcircuit is a delay chain circuit, which includes multiple chains ofinverters I1, I2, I3, and I4 and multiple transistor-capacitor networksC1, C2 and C3. The transistor-capacitor networks are connected torespective outputs of the inverter chains I1, I2 and I3. As provided bythe prior art, a transistor-capacitor network includes an n-type fieldeffect transistor (NFET), having its gate terminal connected to theoutput of one of the inverter chains, e.g., I1, and its drain and sourceterminals connected to ground. The transistor-capacitor network furtherincludes a p-type field effect transistor (PFET), having its gateterminal connected to the output of one of the inverter chains, e.g.,I1, and its drain and source terminals connected to a power supplyvoltage Vdd, or other voltage representative of logic level “1”. Beingconnected in this manner, the transistors of each network C2, C2 and C3,operate as capacitors.

One problem with the circuit 1000 shown in FIG. 10 is the large amountof area of the chip that is used to provide the transistor-capacitornetworks. Typically, the transistors have a non-minimum channel length,e.g. L=1 μm for 0.12 μm technology, and non-minimum channel width, e.g.1 to 10 μm for 0.12 μm technology. When the circuit 1000 implements a 1ns delay, the size of PFET capacitors are each L=1 μm and W=5 μm and thesize of the size of NFET capacitors are each L=1 μm and W=2.5 μm. Anestimate of the area occupied by such circuit 1000 to implement a 1 nsdelay is 80 μm.

FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which largercapacitance value trench capacitors are used in capacitor networks of adelay circuit 1100, instead of transistor-capacitor networks asillustrated in FIG. 10. In such arrangement, a large number of highervalue (e.g., 80 fF) trench capacitors are wired together to operate as acapacitor network C31, C32, or C33. By such arrangement a sizablereduction in the area occupied by the delay circuit 1100 is achieved. Anestimate of the area occupied by the delay circuit 1100 is 32 μm², areduction of 60%. Since several delay chains are typically providedwithin a DRAM macro of an integrated circuit, a large cumulative areareduction is achieved.

FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which afeedback stabilized latch 1200 is provided. In this embodiment, acapacitor C41 is provided as an element of a feedback loop to a latch tohelp prevent the latch from toggling between states. In this embodiment,the capacitor C41 can either have a smaller capacitance value, the samecapacitance value, or a larger capacitance value than capacitors used toimplement storage capacitors of a DRAM array. In such manner, a greaterdegree of granularity can be achieved for designing in an appropriatecapacitance value for the circuit 1200. Moreover, the capacitor C41 isused in place of a transistor-capacitor network such as that describedabove relative to FIG. 10, which is conventionally provided in similarlatch circuits, leading to a reduction in area which is estimated to be56%. Since such feedback stabilized latch circuits are used in manyplaces of a DRAM macro, a significant reduction in area is possible.

While the invention has been described in accordance with certainpreferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understandthe many modifications and enhancements which can be made theretowithout departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention, whichis limited only by the claims appended below. For example, trenchcapacitors having three or more values of capacitance can be formedaccording to an embodiment of the invention by conducting further maskedrecesses of the polysilicon material within one or more of the trenches.In other embodiments, trench capacitors having different values areutilized for such purposes as DC-blocking, impedance matching,filtering, oscillator circuitry, and so on.

1. A microelectronic element, comprising: a first trench disposed withina substrate; a second trench disposed within the substrate, each of thefirst and second trenches having a sidewall extending along a region ofsingle-crystal semiconductor material in the substrate, and each of thefirst and second trenches being elongated in a direction extendingdownwardly from a major surface of the substrate; a first dielectriccollar extending downwardly along the sidewall of the first trench to afirst depth below the major surface of the substrate, the firstdielectric collar for reducing parasitic capacitance along an upperportion of the first trench; a first capacitor extending from the firstdielectric collar at the first depth downwardly along the single-crystalsemiconductor region along the sidewall of the first trench; a seconddielectric collar extending downwardly along the sidewall of the secondtrench to a second depth deeper below the major surface of the substratethan the first depth, the second dielectric collar for reducingparasitic capacitance along an upper portion of the second trench; asecond capacitor extending from the second dielectric collar at thesecond depth downwardly along the single-crystal semiconductor regionalong the sidewall of the second trench, such that a top of the firstcapacitor is disposed at the first depth from the major surface, and atop of the second capacitor is disposed at the second depth from themajor surface.
 2. The microelectronic element as claimed in claim 1,wherein bottoms of the first and second capacitors are disposed atsubstantially the same depth from the major surface.
 3. Themicroelectronic element as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first andsecond capacitors have substantially different capacitances.
 4. Themicroelectronic element as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first andsecond trenches have substantially the same lateral dimensions inlateral directions of a first plane substantially parallel to the majorsurface.
 5. The microelectronic element as claimed in claim 4, whereinthe microelectronic element includes passive devices, the passivedevices selected from the group consisting of resistors, inductors andthe first and second capacitors, and the microelectronic element doesnot include active devices, such active devices having functions of atleast one of amplification, switching and rectification.
 6. Amicroelectronic element as claimed in claim 3, further comprising aplurality of first circuits each including one or more of activedevices, the active devices having functions of at least one ofamplification, switching and rectification, and a plurality of secondcircuits each including one or more of the active devices, the firstcircuits further including one or more of the first capacitors and thesecond circuits further including one or more of the second capacitors.7. A microelectronic element as claimed in claim 6, wherein the firstcircuits include storage cells of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM)array.
 8. A microelectronic element as claimed in claim 7, wherein thesecond circuits include circuits that support the DRAM array.
 9. Amicroelectronic element as claimed in claim 6, wherein the firstcircuits include charge-pumping circuits each having a multiplicity offirst capacitors, wherein the first capacitors have substantially highercapacitances than the second capacitors.
 10. A microelectronic elementas claimed in claim 6, wherein the first circuits include inverter delaychain circuits having a multiplicity of the first capacitors.
 11. Amicroelectronic element as claimed in claim 6, wherein the firstcircuits include first feedback latches each including one or more ofthe first capacitors and second feedback latches each including one ormore of the second capacitors.
 12. A microelectronic element as claimedin claim 6, wherein at least one of the second circuits includes anarray of the second capacitors having a common connection to anon-ground potential, wherein the array has at least one functionselected from the group consisting of signal transfer and power supplydecoupling.
 13. The microelectronic element as claimed in claim 1,further comprising an array of the second capacitors, each of the secondcapacitors having a common connection to a non-ground potential, thearray of the second capacitors functioning to provide at least one ofsignal transfer decoupling or power supply decoupling.